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FOXJ3 gene identified as the critical link between abnormal brain development and epilepsy

Researchers have discovered that mutations in the FOXJ3 gene act as a "master switch" failure, disrupting how the brain builds its layers and leading to FCD, a primary cause of drug-resistant epilepsy.

9 Mar 2026

Understanding PIEZO2 mutations and sensory disorders

Every time we feel a gentle tap on the skin, specialized nerve cells convert that physical force into an electrical signal that the brain can interpret as touch. While scientists have long known that a protein called PIEZO2 acts as a key sensor for touch, it remained unclear why PIEZO2 is specialized for the localized mechanical forces experienced by sensory neurons, whereas its close relative PIEZO1 responds to broader mechanical stresses such as those generated when cells stretch, as occurs in blood vessels.

9 Mar 2026

Unmasking the hyperactive circuitry of early Alzheimer’s

Neuroscientists at King's College London have pinpointed a mechanism behind the increased neural connectivity observed in the very early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

9 Mar 2026

Redefining the "aging brain" through diverse data

Age is more than just one number. While neuroscientists used to think of cognitive aging as a single trendline, they now realize that vast individual differences require a more predictive and personalized approach. As they uncover more factors that affect cognition over time, they are realizing that modeling the aging brain requires more diverse data than traditionally captured.

9 Mar 2026

Targeting Wnt signaling to solve the dental pulp challenge

Dental pulp regeneration remains a major clinical challenge. Researchers have discovered that SMAD7 directly forms a transcriptional complex with β-catenin in human dental pulp stem cells, activating Wnt signaling and promoting regenerative gene expression.

9 Mar 2026

Identifying common genetic markers for multiple sclerosis

A new study published in Neurology and led by Queen Mary University of London, has revealed that people of South Asian, African and European ancestry share many of the same genetic risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS).

9 Mar 2026

New peptide fragments teach the gut to tolerate food

In little moments like when sipping coffee or licking an ice cream cone, it doesn't seem like your body is pulling off a biological miracle. But it is. That cookie is not you-yet when you put it in your mouth, your body is able to tolerate it and process it without any detriment to your health in a process called oral tolerance. How does the human body make that decision between tolerance and rejection?

9 Mar 2026

How somatic mutations shape disease and reveal new drug targets

Researchers reviewed how somatic mutations accumulate in normal and diseased tissues, showing that natural selection can expand clones that influence disease risk, tissue adaptation, or cellular resilience. The study proposes somatic genomics as a powerful strategy to uncover disease mechanisms and identify new therapeutic targets across multiple conditions.

8 Mar 2026

Modified psilocybin compounds may treat brain disorders with fewer hallucinations

Psilocybin - the psychoactive compound in "magic mushrooms" - is gaining scientific attention for its potential in treating neuropsychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and certain neurodegenerative diseases.

6 Mar 2026

Ketone body can strengthen the fitness and antitumor activity of CAR T cells

A naturally occurring byproduct of liver metabolism–the ketone body, β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB)–can strengthen the fitness and antitumor activity of CAR T cells.

6 Mar 2026

New optovolution technique uses light to guide protein evolution

Evolution is biology's powerful method of engineering. It works by generating many variants of DNA, RNA, and proteins inside cells and letting nature "select" the organism that performs best.

6 Mar 2026

Scientists identify ANKIB1 as key regulator of innate immune signaling

Innate immune sensors – known as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) – detect specific molecular components of bacterial or viral intruders.

6 Mar 2026

Brain cells amplify important signals to guide focus and navigation

Nerve cells in the brain are constantly bombarded with information from different senses simultaneously. How can the brain prioritize what is most important?

6 Mar 2026

Research reveals nuclear metabolic fingerprint in human cells

More than two hundred metabolic enzymes, many of which are normally tasked with producing energy in the mitochondria, are also found sitting directly on top of human DNA, according to a study published today in Nature Communications.

6 Mar 2026

Researchers develop non-hormonal contraceptives to reduce side effects for couples

In the 1970s, the contraceptive pill was the most frequently used method of contraception in Western countries; in Germany, for example, one in three women used "the pill."

6 Mar 2026

Scientists discover how herpes simplex virus softens cells to multiply faster

Herpes simplex virus partially liquifies the tightly packed, gel-like interior of human cell nuclei to copy itself faster, a new study shows.

6 Mar 2026

BCAT2 enzyme identified as a target for diabetic foot recovery

Diabetic macrovascular complications are the main cause of death and disability in diabetes patients, of which vascular calcification is one of the key pathological mechanisms. Calcification in atherosclerotic plaque can cause stiffness and decreased compliance of the vascular wall, and induce atherosclerotic plaque rupture, which increases the risk of acute cardiovascular events.

6 Mar 2026

AI trained on 9 trillion DNA letters predicts harmful mutations and designs new genomes

Scientists developed Evo 2, a large biological foundation model trained on about 9 trillion DNA base pairs that can analyse genomic sequences across bacteria, plants, and humans. The model predicts functional effects of genetic variants and can generate genome-scale DNA sequences, enabling new approaches to studying and designing biological systems.

5 Mar 2026

New microscope captures 3D blood flow and oxygenation at single-cell resolution

The brain relies on real-time delivery of oxygen and nutrients through its microvasculature, which threads through neural tissue like electrical wires.

5 Mar 2026

Study reveals a disease-relevant role for tanycytes in neurodegeneration

Accumulation of the protein tau in the brain is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. In a paper publishing March 5 in the Cell Press journal Cell Press Blue, researchers report a previously unknown mechanism that appears to enable the build-up of tau.

5 Mar 2026